Annie POV

Dorien and I shuffle around, our mouths dry and our stomachs rumbling. We tried to make the water last as long as we could, but two small sips each and it was gone. We've been walking around for hours, trying to find a stream or a pond, but we've come across absolutely nothing. The only water I saw was the streams that seemed to be built in both the inner and outer sections of the mountain, and it'd be death to strut past the Cornucopia. We still have half the loaf of bread and two strips of beef jerky, but we promised each other we'd save our food until we were absolutely sure we needed it. Food would only make us thirstier, too. We've tried to hunt, but apart from birds and squirrels, we've seen no animals. It's not exactly possible to hunt a bird with a knife, and we're both incompetent as hunters anyway. Our steps are heavy across the forest floor – District 4 is taught to swim. We have no training when it comes to wooded areas. We both jump as a cannon fires out, and shortly after another follows. "I hope that was a Career," Dorien drawls, and we both laugh tensely. Surprisingly, we've avoided danger so far. No Careers, no other tributes, no Game-Maker traps. It's too good to be true..

I sigh. "We need to take a break." We're both exhausted, and clearly it's not a good idea to travel more as it becomes darker – especially on no water. It's sunset, and it's beautiful here. I gasp as I gaze at the streaky orange and pink sky, and despite my inevitable death in this beautiful arena, I smile. The sunset reminds me of home, and Finnick. No matter how artificial it may be. I sigh, and Dorien and I begin to look for a place to spend the night. We find a small cave in a bed of rock, and soon it's evident we're both restless. We try to sit in the cave, but we're fidgety: I'm biting my nails, Dorien's kicking rocks around. "Hm… we might as well make use of us having so much energy." I pick up my knife and Dorien does the same, and we head outside. We each practice throwing. We carefully aim at trees, and after a while, we both get a few good sticks. We're not amazing, but it's enough between the both of us to hold someone off. We finally become tired and I'm about to retrieve my knife from a tree when I hear a twig snap. Before I can even react, the girl from District 9 comes blundering out of the trees. She tackles me, and in a second she has me pinned to the ground.

I remember her. She doesn't look particularly strong, but she's very tall, 18 and has 50 pounds on me. I don't struggle. Struggling will just make my death more violent and slow. Finnick… my mother… they're watching. A single tear slips down my face but I restrain myself, and she laughs at my moment of weakness. I pray that Dorien has had the sense to grab our supplies and run. I don't want him to die too, not from this girl. Traces of the sunset are still visible, and I'm content that I'll at least have that as my last view of this world. I glance at my wedding ring and charm bracelet, and as I think of my family and Finnick, I smile.

She rummages through her back-pack and pulls out an axe. As she raises it, I close my eyes..

Finnick POV

"No. No." I start to cry. Tears stream down my face. That bitch from 9 has Annie pinned down, and when Annie let loose one single tear she started to laugh. Mags cradles me, and I let all my tears fall onto her shoulder. Annie's dying. The girl I love is dying. I never knew it would feel like this.. I never knew it would feel like my heart was cut open, I never knew it would feel like my body was being ripped into a million pieces. I don't care if I'm making a scene. I really don't. Annie…

"Finnick." Mags gasp's and shakes me. I peer at the screen. The girl from 9 had her axe raised, and was teasing Annie. I could tell Annie had already accepted her death, and I knew the content look on her face was because she was thinking of me. And then I realize.. the girl from 9 didn't know Annie had an ally. The moment she heard someone, she ran into the clearing and tackled the first person she saw. Dorien had immediately hid behind a tree, and had been watching the scene with horror. Then he realized he had a knife.. and he knew how to use it. He crept forward a few feet, quietly as he could manage, and was now behind the girl. His hands shook, and he hesitated a second before driving his knife into the girl's spine. Annie leaped up and managed to avoid being crushed by the girl. 9's cannon rang out a second later.

I collapsed into Mags' arms. I was sobbing, tears of relief. I can hear other mentors voicing their disproval and curiosity, and Mags' loyally stands up for me. "He's so young.. not quite used to the idea of his tributes dying." All the mentors take this without questions and resume watching.

I finally compose myself and continue sitting in my chair with no complaints. I'm overjoyed, but a voice at the back of my head reminds me that this will happen again. Maybe next time there will be nobody to save her..

Annie POV

I leap away from the corpse of the girl that had been trying to kill me a few minutes earlier. I nab her back-pack and axe, and even though she just tried to kill me, I feel sorry for her. She has a family and she was trying to get home, just like I am. I gently lift Dorien's knife from her body, retrieve mine and close her pretty amber eyes for the last time. I mouth a 'sorry' to her corpse, and wish I could say the same to her family. Then my attention turns to Dorien. "Dorien!" I hug him and kiss him on the cheek. "You saved my life.." My eyes shine with tears. "Thank you so much." He hugs me back and blushes. "It was no problem." I can tell he's upset over killing that girl. "You had to. She's in heaven now. She understands," I whisper. I feel just as sickened having seen a teenager die, but I have to remain strong for the both of us. We settle into our cave. Inside the girl's bag is a pair of night-vision glasses, a sleeping bag, and a large canteen of water. The water seems to be un-tampered with, so both of us take large sips. I spare a small bit of it to wash the blood off of Dorien's knife. The anthem plays, and in the sky are the faces of the District 3 girl, the District 7 boy and the girl Dorien killed. I bow my head in remembrance as the music plays, and give myself a moment to mourn for those poor dead who were just like me.

Both of us eat a slice of bread each, and then we climb into the sleeping bag. It's not awkward between us; I can tell Dorien doesn't have a crush on me. I know I remind him of his sister. I'm a replacement for her; I offer him the support and kindness she did before her death. I'm also kind of like the mother figure he's sorely lacked in the past few years. I stroke his hair and he snuggles up to my chest. In the silence and peace of the night, it's hard to believe we're in the Hunger Games. After I'm sure Dorien is asleep, I slip out of the sleeping bag to keep watch. I arm myself with an axe and a knife just in case, though I hope with all my heart the Gamemakers will let us have a peaceful night in exchange for nine's death. As I think of the dead, I realize we're already into the final 8. I shiver. The final 8 is when it's time for bloody battles, game-maker traps and mutts. If I don't win, then Dorien must. His family has already lost a daughter, they shouldn't lose a son too.

I allow some tears to fall, and I don't care if I look weak or emotional. My charm bracelet and wedding ring are the only things that give me strength. And Finnick.. I softly blow a kiss to the cameras. Those in the Capitol will think it's for them, mentors and the Districts will think I have a boyfriend back home. But Finnick will know it's for him. For the rest of the night, I keep my guard up for trouble but none comes. When dawn arrives, I gently wake Dorien. He nods and takes his place as guard. Sleep almost immediately takes me, and I know in an instant that my dreams will be of Finnick..